Whether your last formal class was two or twenty years ago, you’re never too old to stop learning. In fact, learning something new every day is a great way to live your life – after all, there are lots of things that you don’t already know! When you want to learn about a subject, you can pick up a book or enroll in a course, but both of these methods can be expensive and may not provide you with expert insight.

Back in the days of Ancient Greece, learning used to be free. Philosophers and those who were advanced in one topic or another often taught followers without seeking any kind of compensation. As a result, these teachers were respected far and wide. This type of learning has largely been phased out due to high tuition prices and simple greed – until now, that is. A new project called The Faculty Project (part of the Udemy website) is about to change that way that the world (or those who are interested) learns.

The Faculty Project Courses

The Faculty Project is, essentially, based on the notion that learning at a higher level should be free. As such, professors from elite (including Ivy League) schools have signed up to provide free course materials and lectures to those who are interested. Anyone can sign up for a Faculty Project course and everyone can move at their own pace. The idea here is to challenge one’s intellect, help improve learning, and simply provide insight into topics that would be tough to learn about on your own.

Right now, professors from Colgate, Vanderbilt, Suffolk, and Vassar have already devised courses for the public to take part in. Course subjects range from business to psychology and all courses are highly developed. In addition, retired professors have signed up to take part in the Faculty Project, and these professors have many years of teaching and study under their belts. If you happen to be a bit of a nerd (like yours truly) or you just like to learn, the Faculty Project seems to be one of the best learning ideas to hit the Internet in a long time.

The Project Right Now

The Faculty Project is part of Udemy (a website that features all kinds of paid courses – though the Faculty Project courses are free), and this project has just begun. As such, the courses that are available at the moment are not fully developed. However, interested parties can sign up for a course right now (connect via email or through Facebook), and a notification letter will be sent when a course is ready to roll. After scoping out the course discussion groups (online discussions are available too), it’s clear to see that thousands of people from around the globe are eagerly awaiting the start of these courses.

If you have a yearning to learn something new, taking a virtual stroll through The Faculty Project is definitely worth your time. You can find the site for the Faculty Project here (http://facultyproject.com/). Remember, some of these courses aren’t ready to go yet, so be patient – the wait will be well worth it when you gain an Ivy League education for free.